Cigarette-case.



T. F. HATHAWAY.

CIGARETTE CASE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. I9I5.

1,1 89,81 3. Patented July 4, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. HATHAWAY, 0F ELGIN, ILLDOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ELGIN AMERICAN MANU- FACTURING COIPAEY, 0F ELGIF, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION 0F.' ILLINOIS.

CIGARETTE-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented uly 4, 1916.

Application led November 24, 1915. Serial No. 63,215.

at Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and xuseful Improvements in Cigarette-Cases, of

which the following is a specification.

The cigarette case of the present invention belongs to that class which'employs an inner container having pockets adapted to each receive a single cigarette.

One object of the invention is to so mount and hinge the leaves comprising thecontainer that the latter will maintain a position substantially at right angles to the case when the case is laid open, thereby facilitating withdrawal of the cigarette; and the invention further relates to the spring arrangement in the hinge for throwing the case into open position when unlocked, and to the arrangement of the hinge in such a manner as to afford a mounting both for the sections of the case and the leaves of the container.

The inventionv further relates tothe formation of the container in Such a manner as to facilitate manual withdrawalo the' cigarettes and to the details of the construction hereinafter described and claimed.

Inthe drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the case laid open, and illustrating the manner of withdrawing-the cigarettes from the container; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the saine; and Fig. 4 is afperspective detail ofY the hinge.

The c'ase comprises outer rectangular sections 5 dished in the usual manner. One of the sections is provided with a snap lock 6 to hold the case closed when the sections are brought together. Each of the sections along its inner edge is formed to vprovide a plurality7 of tubular sleeves 7 which are aliiied to receive a pintle 8, which affords the pivotal mounting of a hinge for uniting the parts. Near each end of' the pintle'a space is provided between the `adjacent sleevesto afford a mounting for the companion leaves 8a of the cigarette container 9. Each of the leaves is provided near. each end with a sleeve 10, which is alined with the sleeves 7 of the case sections and mounted upon the pintle 8, which thus furnishes a hinge mounting for the four principal parts com posing thecase.

. As shown in Fig. 3, each of the sleeves. 7 1s partially cut away at the point 1l to afford a stop or abutment 1 2 which. cooperates with a similar stop -or abutment 13 on the adjoining leaf sleeve. AA similar cooperating arrangement is provided at'the opposite end of the hinge between the remaining case section and the remaining leaf section, with the result that, when the sections of the casing have b'een laid open into horizontal or atwise position, as shown in Fig. l, the coperating stops will come 'in contact with'one another and maintain each kof .the container leaves in right angled relation with respect to the adjacent section' of the casing. In other words, each of the leaves is afforded freedom of movement with respect to the adjoining section of the casing through an arc of about 90 degrees, at which time the stops will come into contact to limit any further relative movement of the parts,

'as best shown in Fig. 4.

In order to facilitate the opening of the sections of the casing and also to maintain the container leaves in closed relation with respect fto one anotherand in right angled relation with respect to the sections of the easing, a pair of coil springs 14 are employed which are mounted to surround the pintle in suitable spaces afforded for the purpose. One of the coil springs is arranged to have its ends bear against one of the case sections andthe cooperating container leaf, and

vthe other spring is arranged to; bear against the remaining case section and its coperating container leaf. The arrangement is one which causes the sections of the casing to fly back into parallel horizontal relation when the spring lock is pressed, and at the same time maintains the two leaves/'composing the cigarette'container -in closed position under spring tension, but permits the latter to be spread apart,' against the tension of the springs, when it is desired Ato open up the container for the purpose ofinserting the cigarettes.

The leaves lcomposing the container. are grooved or channeled, as shown, to afford individual pockets for the cigarettes, and each pocket, so formed, provided on each side.

with an elongated slot 15 which exposes the body of the cigarette on each side and facili'- tates withdrawal of the cigarettes between,

the thumb and linger in the manner indcated ,in Fig. 1

gether, an inner container consisting of two leaves hinged-up'nfthe same' pintle, and cooperating'stop weeneac-h casing section androne of the eavesrto Ylimiting the Inove- 2.5etcigarettecasmg comprising two sec tions', .atpintlefifoifltjnging the sections t0- gether ninnerf'container consisting of two 2 0 leaves inged'f'mpor the same pintle, co-

fnperatinggstopsbetwben each casing section .and-'ionejioffthe leaves'ifor limiting the movementsiofneivvithrespect to the other, and spningsffforlibearingl; against the casing sections f onforcinigfsaidmasing open, and maintainingaethefileaves fin closed relation, substaiitiallyiasdescribed. v

is'A icigaafettecasiaig comprising two sections; j; pintfleonrltingingthe sections togetlien-rai innelgebxtainer consisting of two leave's' xhingedmupioni the same `pintle, cooperatipgdstpsibetween each casing section and one of the leaves for limiting the movement fof one @,re'gspectpto the other, and a ,dQlfizSpxng interposed between each casnd its-,eoperating container-'leaf for? ackgthesections into openposition,` the loaves in closed muni, and by mounting all ideama {relation with res )ect 'to one another substantially as described.

l. A cigarette casing comprising two sections having alined sleeves, a pintle entered through Said sleeves to hinge the parts together, an inner container consisting of two vleaves having alined sleeves mounted upon v the pintle, a. cooperating pair of stops upon the adjoined sleeves of each casing section and the adjacent leaf for limiting the relative opening movement of the parts, and a pair of springs each bearing against one of the casing sections and the adjoining container leaf forv forcing open the casing sections, and maintaining the container` leaves in closed relation, substantially as described.

5. A cigarette casing comprising two sections, a pintle on which the sections are hinged, an inner container comprisingy two leaves each independently hinged on the same pintle, and springs for bearing against the casing sections and leaves for forcing the casing open and n'iaintaining the leaves ini closed position, substantially as described.

6. 'A cigarette casing comprising two sections, a pintle on which said sections'are mounted, an inner container comprising two leaves each independently hinged on the same pintle, and a pair of springs, each spring having one end bearing against one of the casing sections and its other end bearing against the adjoining leaf section, substantially as described.

THOMAS F. HATHAWAY. Vitnesses:

Palmi? E. C. Hour, FRANK C. KrzonUsoHi 

